Executive Intent

“The images of the aftermath of his bombing raids are pretty horrific.” Kordus shrugged, then nodded and admitted, “But yes, he’s getting full credit for completely stopping pirate activity in the Indian Ocean. Zhou has said that he intends on withdrawing all Chinese forces from Somalia as soon as his transport ships arrive with their escorts. His aircraft carrier the Zhenyuan is en route with its escorts, replenishment ships, cargo ships for their equipment, and a couple chartered cruise liners for the soldiers. They’ll stop in Yemen for refueling and resupply before meeting up with their ships in Somalia.”

“Bust up the capital city for a couple weeks, then just sail away. How nice,” Gardner said. “But it was a gutsy move, I have to admit. I’d never tell Zhou that, of course. It’s funny: Every other nation considered the pirates a nuisance-we set up the antipirate patrols, but piracy only increased. Folks started to think it was the insurance companies’ problem, part of the cost of doing business. In comes the most unlikely player, China, and bombs the hell out of the Somalis. They attacked several other locations, too, didn’t they?”

“Two more north of Mogadishu and two up in Puntland province,” Kordus said after checking the reports. “They’re using a lot of unmanned aircraft for surveillance, picking off pirate mother ships and teams of fighters on the ground with helicopter gunships. They’re doing it all from the air-ground forces are being used to secure Mogadishu Airport and the docks in New Town only. If there’s a warlord or clan leader they want, they just bomb the hell out of his last known location. If the attacks kill hundreds of civilians, that’s too bad.”

“And no one is saying boo about it except a few human-rights organizations,” the president observed. “If the United States did it, we’d be catching hell from half the known universe, including our own press; China does it, and people are either applauding or too scared to squawk about it.” He took another sip of rum and looked at his watch. “What else do we have?”

“ Russia is sending its Vladimir Putin carrier battle group into the Indian Ocean,” Kordus read. “Brand-new carrier, closer in size and number of embarked aircraft to Western carriers, similar to the Chinese carrier-probably built in the same shipyard-along with seven escorts. The Russian Ministry of Defense says they’re going to drill with the Chinese in resupply, joint-communications, vessel-identification, search-and-rescue, and antipiracy operations.”

“It’s going to get crowded,” Gardner said. “I want a briefing from Conrad on what, if anything, the Chiefs want to do-observe only, ask to play, stay out of the way, whatever. Find out if they want us to participate-that’ll shock ’em.” Kordus nodded and made a note. “So how did the vice president sound out in California?”

“He attended the memorial service, made short and nonpolitical remarks, did all the interviews we set up, did the fund-raiser that evening, gave a rousing speech from what I’ve heard, raised a bunch of money, and stuck to the script,” Kordus said. “He was asked several times about his own presidential aspirations and ducked the questions pretty well. He’s a very good campaigner, that’s for sure.”

“Whom did he meet with?”

“Exactly who he said he was going to meet with as he posted on his agenda,” Kordus said, “with the notable exception of four other invited guests to the memorial service: Ann Page; General Raydon from the space station; Noble, who was the other astronaut involved in that satellite explosion; and none other than Patrick McLanahan.”

“McLanahan? Phoenix met with him? Where? When?”

“In the ride from the memorial to the hotel, maybe thirty minutes max,” Kordus said. “McLanahan had been nominated by Page to head up the accident investigation board on the satellite explosion; Conrad asked me about it, and I advised him to find someone else, knowing how much you and McLanahan like each other’s company.”

“You’re damned right. Christ, that guy can’t stay retired. I thought he’d be done after almost getting himself blown up in Iraq. I almost had a cow when I saw him give that presser with Page the other day.” His brows furrowed in deep thought. “ Phoenix and McLanahan, getting together again, all these years after Iraq? What in hell are they up to?”

“The vice president is interested in military space stuff; he was surrounded by four of the most knowledgeable persons on that very subject,” Kordus said. “You think it’s more than that? Something political?”

“ Phoenix and Page, obviously,” the president said. “Raydon and Noble, those two rocket jockeys…no way. McLanahan?” He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “He’s an aviator, a bomber puke who turned space nerd when Kevin Martindale gave him an almost unlimited budget after the American Holocaust and let him fly in those spaceplanes.” Gardner took a tiny sip of rum, staring at nothing, then said, “McLanahan…a politician?”